| Let's start with the definition... The Cambridge | | | | finally understood the boundaries of what I knew. |
| On-Line Dictionary defines objective as an | | | | Boundaries of what I knew... Interesting... I hadn't |
| adjective and is "based on real facts and not | | | | thought about it in that way before I put that |
| influenced by personal beliefs or feelings"then it | | | | down on paper (electronic paper). That is really |
| says "NOTE: The opposite is subjective." When I | | | | what objective thinking does for you. It allows |
| was a newly graduated college student, I am sad | | | | you to understand what you know the why |
| to say, I did not know what objective was... I | | | | about and what is influenced by your feelings. |
| remember looking up the definition and still not | | | | Subjective thinking allows ALL the very good and |
| understanding what it meant or how to use it | | | | bad things in the world. Subjective thought allows |
| properly. I also could not tell you the difference | | | | for the all the best in the world, such as love, art |
| between "subjective" and "objective". I had this | | | | and philosophy. Subjective thought gives you the |
| idea they should be opposite but I could not tell | | | | yin and yang taught in Chinese philosophy, the |
| you why. I want to take a moment to explain | | | | very good and the very bad and everything in |
| two things; 1. Why I didn't know the difference | | | | between. Unfortunately, subjectivity has lead to all |
| between subjectivity and objectivity and 2. Why | | | | the culturally bad things to happen in the world. |
| knowing the difference has changed my life so | | | | Let me try to explain by looking at what we |
| much. | | | | considered culturally bad in the world. (The |
| Not knowing the difference, on the face of things | | | | concept of "bad" is inherently subjective but if |
| is easy to explain; I was never taught. Why was I | | | | was define why we picked the bad thing we can |
| not taught this and what was I taught is where it | | | | then objectively discuss the subjective thing.) |
| gets complicated and while it may sound | | | | Below are listed some of things we consider bad |
| subjective I will try to give evidence to back up | | | | and can counter each of them with a objective |
| what I am saying. Before I start I want to point | | | | knowing that would eliminate the possibility of the |
| out that there was nothing subversive or bad | | | | bad thing with a few major "bad" things below: |
| about what happened it is just the way things are. | | | | Racism - Some groups of people "believe" they |
| They are this way and have been this way for | | | | are better than others. An understanding of how |
| many thousands of years, since before written | | | | all humans are people, regardless of skin color or |
| history, a cultural program. | | | | other appearance |
| The first things that we are taught to children are | | | | Terrorism - Some groups may have a "belief" or |
| fun, innocent things such as Santa Clause, Easter | | | | religion that isn't shared by others. Understanding |
| Bunny, Tooth Fairy, etc... You get the point, cute | | | | objectivity allows you to understand what is |
| creatures and men doing good things for children. | | | | influenced by your feelings and beliefs. (Terrorism |
| The children believe in these things until they are | | | | is often used by people to wage war on others |
| old enough to figure out that their parents are | | | | who have more access to technology so we will |
| really the ones placing the presents and | | | | define this as war). |
| chocolates and taking the teeth replacing them | | | | War - War happens for many reasons. It is said |
| with money. It is believing... "something not based | | | | that "War is the continuation of politics by other |
| on real facts and totally influenced my personal | | | | means". Politics are often someone's or some |
| feelings". It is opposite of Objective. Most of us | | | | people's beliefs about how a country should be |
| are born into a religion and their religion | | | | governed, objectively we would know that no |
| perpetuates the idea of believing in something. | | | | one wins in a war. |
| In religion we call this "faith". I was raised Catholic | | | | Many other "bad things" such as hunger, |
| and in every mass there is "proclamation of faith", | | | | starvation, pollution and global warming - I have |
| where we recited exactly what I was required to | | | | grouped them together because their reason is |
| believe without question, every week we did this. | | | | due to one major factor that we all know but |
| Our subjective thinking is burned into us at an | | | | hate to talk about; out of control population |
| early age and continues to be instilled into us | | | | growth is putting a major stress on our |
| throughout our lives, in many ways. Here is | | | | environment. We hate to talk about out of control |
| another example. Opinion polls... they are a big part | | | | population growth because we believe there is no |
| of our modern culture. You will be asked "Do you | | | | solution that anyone can agree on. We think this |
| think "he" is guilty?" If you decide to respond to | | | | way because we are being subjective, of course |
| the poll it will be based on how you feel or what | | | | there are solutions, and we need to discuss |
| you may have read, which is likely to have been | | | | alternatives. |
| someone's opinion. So is he guilty? Well 80% of | | | | As you can see the objective thinking effectively |
| the people responding to the poll said he is... you | | | | counters the thing considered bad, in theory. In |
| see my point I think. This happens all the time. | | | | order for this to be able to occur in our world |
| Like I indicated earlier this is not a bad thing it is | | | | everyone has to know the difference between |
| just something that happens. | | | | subjectivity and objectivity. |
| The fact that I didn't know the difference | | | | Why is this important? The difference between |
| between subjective and objective bothered me; | | | | the objective and the subjective is one of |
| mostly because it seemed to me it SHOULD be | | | | understanding; objective is the knowing and |
| an easy concept but I didn't know. This inspired | | | | subjective is the believing; objective is the thinking |
| me to do research and read and it took me quite | | | | and the subjective is the feeling. Understanding |
| a while to come to an understanding that satisfied | | | | this difference is quite important because our |
| my curiosity. When I finally came to the | | | | world is in peril with things such as war, racism |
| understanding of the difference it felt like I broke | | | | and global warming. By learning the difference, we |
| through a programming. Again, it wasn't an evil | | | | can temper the extremes of the good and bad |
| brainwashing, just a cultural program that kept me | | | | brought with only an understanding of subjectivity. |
| from knowing. Knowing the difference changed | | | | By understanding when we are being subjective |
| my life. This change was quite shocking at first | | | | and objective we will have the ability to choose; |
| because I was seeing the subjective everywhere | | | | for now we are compelled by our feelings. We |
| and a great void of objectivity. This knowing | | | | need to understand the boundaries of what we |
| allowed me to excel personally and professionally | | | | know so we can get past our beliefs and feelings |
| because I had a more lucid view of the world. I | | | | and into a better future. |